Moonscape (2026)

Moonscars falls just short of greatness the same way Grey Irma occasionally falls just short of platforms she can definitely reach, but where it shines, it shines like a full moon. A rich, original story accompanies solid platforming and technical combat like that of the Souls games, all of it placed within a huge, sprawling map packed with traps, secrets, and goodies to find. Seemingly complex systems like customisable special attacks, blood moons that make enemies stronger, and having to trek back to a place Grey Irma fell to get precious bone dust back all work together smoothly, and while it can be unclear what the player is supposed to do or where they’re supposed to go, the developers have made sure they’re going to have fun figuring it out.

Did I enjoy it? Despite being the last (for now) soulslike of 2022, Moonscars is a convincing and fun debut for Black Mermaid. Though not entirely original and with some power balance issues, its element mix works well. It may not challenge those who can defeat Malenia blindfolded with a corkscrew-connected pad, but Gray Irma's quest for truth is compelling, thanks to a solid structure and well-crafted combat system. It's worth considering.

Moonscars does an excellent job of setting itself apart from other titles in this genre, offering a great visual experience and challenging, satisfying gameplay.

Moonscars is a deep, dark tale about what makes us human in our darkest times and how we persevere. When it works, it really works and was some of the most fun I had playing 2-D souls-like in recent memory. But it is riddled with balancing issues and loses touch on what makes Souls-likes fun in the name of difficulty.